A convincing odds-on maiden scorer on Oct. 12, Keewaydin will make his stakes debut in Saturday’s $250,000 Remsen (G2) at Aqueduct. The Chad Brown-trained colt tops seven in the 1 1/8-mile test for two-year-olds, and the Remsen will award points on a 10-5-3-2-1 scale to the top five finishers as a Road to the Kentucky Derby series qualifier.
One race later on the program, fillies will compete for points toward a berth in the 2025 Kentucky Oaks (G1) in the $250,000 Demoiselle (G2). Muhimma, a brilliant maiden and entry-level allowance winner in her first two starts at Churchill Downs, will stretch to two turns against nine rivals in the 1 1/8-mile event.
The Remsen hasn’t produced a Kentucky Derby (G1) winner since Go for Gin and Thunder Gulch captured back-to-back editions in 1993-94, but two of the last three editions have been highly productive.
Mo Donegal went on to win the Belmont (G1) after edging eventual Grade 1 winner and Kentucky Derby third-placer Zandon in the 2021 Remsen, and Dornoch won the Belmont and Haskell (G1) after defeating subsequent Kentucky Derby runner-up and Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) victor Sierra Leone by a nose last year.
Keewaydin debuted with a fine neck third in a salty maiden special weight on the Travers (G1) undercard at Saratoga, and the bay son of freshman sire Instagrand came back to break his maiden in frontrunning manner at Aqueduct, registering a 92 Brisnet Speed rating for the 1 3/4-length decision. Dylan Davis retains the mount, and Keewaydin is one of two from the Brown stable.
Brown will also send out maiden winner Aviator Gui, who will switch back to the main track after a fourth in the Awad S. on turf. Studlydoright returns to graded competition for John Robb following a win in the Nov. 2 Nashua S. at Aqueduct. A deep-closing winner of the Tremont S. and runner-up in the Sanford (G3) this summer, the Maryland-bred son of Nyquist has displayed more tactical ability in recent starts and Xavier Perex retains the mount on the chestnut colt.
Tux will jump to stakes following a 3 1/2-length debut victory over maiden special weight rivals at Aqueduct on Nov. 9. Bill Mott trains the gray Tapit colt, and Junior Alvarado will guide the early/presser. Poster will switch turf to dirt for Eoin Harty following maiden and entry-level allowance triumphs at Ellis Park and Keeneland.
Along with the presumptive champion Immersive, Brad Cox has recent stakes winners Good Cheer and Stunner among his deep contingent of two-year-old fillies, and Muhimma will look to enhance her credentials when making her first stakes appearance in the Demoiselle.
The gray Munnings filly has shown good speed in both outings, breaking her maiden by a widening 7 1/2-length margin over 6 1/2 furlongs and romping by 5 1/2 lengths in a seven-furlong entry-level allowance, and Muhimma figures to be prominent from the break with regular rider Florent Geroux.
Beauty Reigns and Michelle, smart debut maiden winners for Mott and Brittany Russell, are among her main challengers. Beauty Reigns, a gray daughter of Into Mischief, showed good speed when taking her first start at Aqueduct on Nov. 8, and the Street Sense filly Michelle invades from Laurel Park after rallying from just off the pace to a four-length decision on Oct. 26.
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